Look: Rider suffers head injury in village with "No Helmet" policy

An injury that could have been prevented

Crimes committed by riding-in-tandem perpetrators continue to be a tough nut to crack for local law enforcement. Unfortunately, their most effective deterrent thus far is a knee-jerk set of solutions like frequent checkpoints or prohibiting the use of helmets altogether, contrary to the Republic Act that requires it to be worn at all times.

Even private villages, such as Cainta's Greenwoods Executive Village, has enforced a strict No Helmet policy for non-resident motorcycle riders while inside the village premises.

Just a few months ago, we've written about Greenwood's strict implementation of their No Helmet policy. It's not simply a matter of removing the helmet while inside. Non-resident riders are forced to surrender their helmets at the village gate. 

Unfortunately for one motorcycle rider, who was a Grab delivery rider, she figured in an accident while inside the said village. Worst of all, it was a head injury that could have been prevented or mitigated were she allowed to wear a helmet. She suffered a concussion and, according to eyewitnesses, “she was bleeding profusely.”

The incident happened when a homeowner, who just parked his vehicle on the street, suddenly opened his door. It hit the rider who was passing by the vehicle at the time. The rider is reportedly still in the hospital as of this writing and is still under observation.

Many would argue that the incident happened inside a private subdivision, on private property and therefore can enact their own rules. Republic Act 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 says otherwise. Had the village authorities allowed the rider to wear her helmet, she could've just walked away with minor scratches and bruises.

"Motorcycle riders who do not wear a helmet run a much higher risk of sustaining any of these head and traumatic brain injuries, or a combination of them. Helmets create an additional layer of protection for the head and thus protect the wearer from some of the more severe forms of traumatic brain injury," – World Health Organization